Iceberg Lettuce vs. Spinach

Nutrition comparison of Iceberg Lettuce and Spinach

Ever wonder how your favorite foods stack up against each other in terms of nutrition?

We compared the nutritional contents of iceberg lettuce versus spinach (100g each) below using 2020 USDA and NIH data[1].

For a quick recap of significant nutrients and differences in iceberg lettuce and spinach:

  • Spinach has more riboflavin, niacin, Vitamin B6 and folate.
  • Spinach is a great source of dietary fiber and iron.
  • Spinach is an excellent source of Vitamin A, Vitamin C, Vitamin K, calcium and potassium.
Detailed nutritional comparison of iceberg lettuce and spinach is analyzed below. You can also visualize the nutritional comparison for a custom portion or serving size and see how the nutrition compares.

USDA sources for nutritional information: Iceberg Lettuce (Lettuce, iceberg (includes crisphead types), raw) and Spinach (Spinach, raw) . Have a correction or suggestions? Shoot us an email.

Image of Iceberg Lettuce src
Image of Spinach src
Here's an infographic summarizing the nutritional differences between iceberg lettuce and spinach. marks particularly rich nutrients.

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nutrition comparison of iceberg lettuce vs. spinach

Calories and Carbs

calories

Spinach and iceberg lettuce contain similar amounts of calories - spinach has 23 calories per 100 grams and iceberg lettuce has 14 calories.

For macronutrient ratios, iceberg lettuce is lighter in protein, much heavier in carbs and similar to spinach for fat. Iceberg lettuce has a macronutrient ratio of 21:72:8 and for spinach, 40:49:10 for protein, carbohydrates and fat from calories.

Macro Ratios from Calories:

Iceberg Lettuce Spinach
Protein 21% 40%
Carbohydrates 72% 49%
Fat 8% 10%
Alcohol ~ ~

carbohydrates

Both spinach and iceberg lettuce are low in carbohydrates - spinach has 3.6g of total carbs per 100 grams and iceberg lettuce has 3g of carbohydrates.

dietary fiber

Spinach is a great source of dietary fiber and it has 83% more dietary fiber than iceberg lettuce - spinach has 2.2g of dietary fiber per 100 grams and iceberg lettuce has 1.2g of dietary fiber.

sugar

Spinach and iceberg lettuce contain similar amounts of sugar - spinach has 0.42g of sugar per 100 grams and iceberg lettuce has 2g of sugar.

Protein

protein

Spinach has 218% more protein than iceberg lettuce - spinach has 2.9g of protein per 100 grams and iceberg lettuce has 0.9g of protein.

Fat

saturated fat

Both spinach and iceberg lettuce are low in saturated fat - spinach has 0.06g of saturated fat per 100 grams and iceberg lettuce has 0.02g of saturated fat.

Vitamins

Vitamin C

Spinach is an excellent source of Vitamin C and it has 904% more Vitamin C than iceberg lettuce - spinach has 28.1mg of Vitamin C per 100 grams and iceberg lettuce has 2.8mg of Vitamin C.

Vitamin A

Spinach is an excellent source of Vitamin A and it has 17 times more Vitamin A than iceberg lettuce - spinach has 469ug of Vitamin A per 100 grams and iceberg lettuce has 25ug of Vitamin A.

Vitamin E

Spinach has 10 times more Vitamin E than iceberg lettuce - spinach has 2mg of Vitamin E per 100 grams and iceberg lettuce has 0.18mg of Vitamin E.

Vitamin K

Spinach is an excellent source of Vitamin K and it has 19 times more Vitamin K than iceberg lettuce - spinach has 482.9ug of Vitamin K per 100 grams and iceberg lettuce has 24.1ug of Vitamin K.

The B Vitamins

Spinach has more riboflavin, niacin, Vitamin B6 and folate. Both iceberg lettuce and spinach contain significant amounts of thiamin and pantothenic acid.

Iceberg Lettuce Spinach
Thiamin 0.041 MG 0.078 MG
Riboflavin 0.025 MG 0.189 MG
Niacin 0.123 MG 0.724 MG
Pantothenic acid 0.091 MG 0.065 MG
Vitamin B6 0.042 MG 0.195 MG
Folate 29 UG 194 UG

Minerals

calcium

Spinach is an excellent source of calcium and it has 450% more calcium than iceberg lettuce - spinach has 99mg of calcium per 100 grams and iceberg lettuce has 18mg of calcium.

iron

Spinach is a great source of iron and it has 561% more iron than iceberg lettuce - spinach has 2.7mg of iron per 100 grams and iceberg lettuce has 0.41mg of iron.

potassium

Spinach is an excellent source of potassium and it has 296% more potassium than iceberg lettuce - spinach has 558mg of potassium per 100 grams and iceberg lettuce has 141mg of potassium.

Antioxidants and Phytonutrients

flavonoids

Naturally occuring in fruits and vegetables, flavonoids are associated with many health benefits and used in a variety of medicinal and pharmaceutical applications. [2][3]

For specific flavonoid compounds,

Iceberg Lettuce Spinach
apigenin 0.13 mg ~
luteolin 0.03 mg 0.74 mg
kaempferol 0.15 mg 6.38 mg
myricetin 0.06 mg 0.35 mg
Quercetin 1.42 mg 3.97 mg

carotenoids

Carotenoids are micronutrients commonly found in plants and some animal products. An example is beta-carotene, the notable carotenoid which is a popular source of Vitamin A.[4][5]

For specific types of carotenoids,

Iceberg Lettuce Spinach
beta-carotene 299 UG 5626 UG
alpha-carotene 4 UG ~
lutein + zeaxanthin 277 UG 12198 UG

Omega-3 and Omega-6

omega 3s

For omega-3 fatty acids, spinach has more alpha linoleic acid (ALA) than iceberg lettuce per 100 grams.

Iceberg Lettuce Spinach
alpha linoleic acid 0.052 G 0.138 G
Total 0.052 G 0.138 G

omega 6s

Comparing omega-6 fatty acids, both iceberg lettuce and spinach contain small amounts of linoleic acid.

Iceberg Lettuce Spinach
linoleic acid 0.021 G 0.026 G
Total 0.021 G 0.026 G


Customize your serving size


The comparison below is by common portions, e.g. cups, packages. You can also see a more concrete comparison by weight at equal weight (by grams) comparison.

Note: The specific food items compared are: Iceberg Lettuce (Lettuce, iceberg (includes crisphead types), raw) and Spinach (Spinach, raw) .

Iceberg Lettuce g

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FAQ

Does spinach or iceberg lettuce contain more calories in 100 grams?
Spinach and iceberg lettuce contain similar amounts of calories - spinach has 23 calories in 100g and iceberg lettuce has 14 calories.

Is spinach or iceberg lettuce better for protein?
Spinach has 220% more protein than iceberg lettuce - spinach has 2.9g of protein per 100 grams and iceberg lettuce has 0.9g of protein.

Does spinach or iceberg lettuce have more carbohydrates?
By weight, both spinach and iceberg lettuce are low in carbohydrates - spinach has 3.6g of carbs for 100g and iceberg lettuce has 3g of carbohydrates.

Does spinach or iceberg lettuce contain more calcium?
Spinach is a rich source of calcium and it has 450% more calcium than iceberg lettuce - spinach has 99mg of calcium in 100 grams and iceberg lettuce has 18mg of calcium.

Does spinach or iceberg lettuce contain more potassium?
Spinach is a rich source of potassium and it has 300% more potassium than iceberg lettuce - spinach has 558mg of potassium in 100 grams and iceberg lettuce has 141mg of potassium.